The First Word: Swashbuckling

On this day — Senate committees will be named, fallout (I really need a new descriptor) from the budget continues to spread and the Travis County DA continues to probe into double-dipping by Legislators continues to expand.

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*Senate Committee Assignments Announced*

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst is expected to announce what Senators are going to be on which committee today. The move comes just a couple of days after Dewhurst named the members of the Senate Finance Committee, which is still chaired by Sen. Steve Ogden. Dewhurst told reporters covering the Voter ID debate and vote on Wednesday that committees could begin meeting as soon as Monday to consider emergency items (as identified by Gov. Rick Perry) and high priority items, such as the budget. Dewhurst has also said that the Senate might take up Sen. Dan Patrick’s sonogram bill next week.

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*Budget Backlash*

As members of the Legislature continue to grapple with the Texas’ yawning budget deficit, they’re starting to feel pushback from those that will be hardest hit by the cuts. The front pages in Texas have been dominated by stories of massive teacher layoffs and school closings that have prompted outrage from teachers unions and parents groups. Texans have told pollsters that they want the budget balanced without tax increases, but in a later poll said that they opposed cuts to the state’s biggest programs.

There are three ways this scenario can play out from my point of view — either Texans will come to accept these massive budget cuts to programs they support or they can come around to support tax increases to spare the programs from deep cuts OR they can continue to maintain the same dichotomous views and punish politicians who do either.

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*Double Dipping Probe Expands*

The AP’s Jay Root reports that the Travis County District Attorney’s office has expanded their investigation into possible double billing of expenses in the Legislature.

Prosecutors have expanded a criminal inquiry into Texas lawmakers’ double-dipping on expenses after one representative said he was auditing his spending practices and then repaid his campaign more than $15,000, an official told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The official, who has knowledge of the investigation by the Travis County District Attorney’s office, spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid endangering the investigation.

Prosecutors already have acknowledged a criminal investigation into state Rep. Joe Driver, but not Rep. Dan Flynn, the only other lawmaker identified by the AP to have possibly double-dipped.

The “review has expanded to include other members that have engaged in conduct similar to Driver’s,” the official said Thursday.

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The Sked:

– Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst announces committee assignments

– Houston Mayor Annise Parker will speak to the Public Pensions Fund Conference at 3:30